Knockdown expansible shelf structure.



No. 753,678, PATENTED MAR. 1 1904.

A. DANNENBERG.

.KNOGKDOWN EXPANSIBLE SHELF STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 190a.

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fuyenton aficlal vkflalaeenber g by /MWM\ "luis'flltorneya No. 753,678. PATENTBD MAR. 1, 1904.

A. DANNENBERG. KNOCKDOWN EXPANSIBLE SHELF STRUCTURE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1903.

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WZZIwJ eJ- 1 I v Inventor M L w flttorneys RRlS PEIERS c0, momumoq WASHINGTON n 1,

UNITED STATES Patented March 1, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH DANNENBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,678, dated March 1, 1904.

Application filed May 1, 1903. Serial No. 155,128. (No model.)

companying drawings, and to the letters of.

reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel knockdown andexpansible shelf structure, and has been designed more especially for use in stores and such places to furnish supplemental shelf and table or counter. space at times when the store .is crowded beyond its usual or permanent shelf or counter capacity.

My invention may be employed in a construction designedto be assembled along the side of the wall of a room and occupy the I usual position of permanent shelving, or the The invention consists of the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a shelf structure made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view' of a modified design of the structure, showing the same adapted for table or counter use. Fig.3 is a detail, partly in section, showing the means for joining the component parts of the construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken in a plane at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5

is-a top plan view of one end of a shelf, showing attached thereto the fitting constituting the connection between the component parts of the structure. of said fitting. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of fitting. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further modification of the fitting. Fig. 9 illustrates the manner of employing the invention to support a superstructure or shelf on a table or counter.

First, referring to the construction shown in Fig. 1, A A designate shelves arranged horizontally one over the other, and B B B designate end members or standards to which the ends of the shelves A are attached and by which they are supported. The lower end members or standards B are provided with base-flanges I), by which they may be attached to the floor, as by means of the screw 6. The upper end members or standards B are supported at their lower ends upon the tops of subjacent standards B or B, as the case may be, and each supports at its upper end one end of one of the shelves A. Said standards may be made of wood or metal and are preferably made of metal. The standards B B are connected with each other at their ends and with the shelves by means of .metal fittings C. (Shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive.) Said fittings each consist of a vertical web 0, provided with two parallel lateral ly-proj ecting vertically-separated flanges ,0 0, formed to provide between the same agroove 0 adapted to receive the end margin of one of the shelves A. The upper flanges are apertured to receive screws by which the shelves are attached to the fittings. Formed on said web 0, above and below said flanges 0, are a plurality of up wardly and downwardly opening sockets 0 Fig. 6 is a perspective view the walls of said sockets being made integral shelf of the shelf structure with the end standards is made slightly different from the other fittings in that the web or body portion 0 is terminated at the level of the upper flange c, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

In the event of the shelves being overloaded or the distance between the end standards being so great as to cause the shelves to sag I may provide intermediate braces or standards D D D as shown in Fig. 1. The lower intermediate standard D rests on the floor or other support for the shelf structure in the manner of the standard B, and the upper standards D are provided with tenons like the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4E, adapted to fit in the sockets c of a fitting C (shown in detail in Fig. 7,) applied to the upper and lower faces of the shelves A. Said sockets are formed integral with the base 0", which is apertured to receive screws. by which the fitting is attached to the shelf. These fittings C may be applied to the shelves after the shelves are in place, as the shelves may be sprung away from each other sufficiently to let in the braces or standards D D.

In order to extend the shelf structure laterally, I have provided a double fitting C (shown in Fig. 8,) which is so constructed as to afford on both sides thereof grooves 0, which receive the adjacent ends of two shelves arranged end to end in alinement with each other. Said grooves are formed between vertically-separated flanges 0, extending laterally from a central short web 0 Said fitting is provided on its upper and lower sides with upwardly and downwardly opening sockets 0, located above and below the web a transversely centrally of the flanges and adapted to receive the tenons on the adjacentends of standards. The fitting C constitutes, therefore, a connection between two standards and two shelves A.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the invention as applied to a knockdown extensible table or counter, the parts of the structure corresponding to the shelvesA being made somewhat broader than said previously-mentioned shelves. In said figure F F designate upper and lower horizontal platforms or tables, which are supported at each end by means of two or more standards B B, which are connected with each other and the platforms or tables by meansof the fittings C, hereinbefore described. The structure shown in Fig. 2 may be used in a large floor-space away from the wall of the building, and the use of a plurality of standards C at each end thereof renders the same sufiiciently stable to prevent .the liability of the table tipping or becoming overbalanced.

In Fig. 9 I have shown means for attaching to a counter or table a supercounter or support H. Said table or supercounter H is supported on the table or counter by means of standards H, made like the standards B, before described. The tenons It on the lower end of the standards H are adapted to fit in sockets herein shown as formed in the table or counter top, though said sockets may, if desired, be formed in a fitting like the fitting shown in Fig. 7 The tenons at the upper ends of said standards are seated in a socketed fitting H made generally like the fitting C shown in Fig. 7. The construction shown in Fig. 9 is useful for supporting on an ordinary aisle-counter in a store a table or supercounter, such as the table H, at times when an extra display of goods calls for additional counter capacity. The superstructure consisting of the table or platform H and the standard H may be readily removed when the necessity for their use ceases and the counters Gr thereafter used in their ordinary manner. The standards B or H, before described, may also be used in amanner similar to that shown in Fig. 9 for the purpose of supporting from any other table a platform like the table H. It may be used, for instance, in connection with a dining-table to support above the table proper a platform upon which may be placed or displayed such articles as the superplatform .may be designed to receive. In the latter suggested use the standards will be provided at their bases or lower ends with means whereby they may be attached to the table-top without inarring the sameas, for instance, by suitable clamping devices adapted to embrace the margin of the table-top.

The knockdown and extensible structure herein shown may be used for avariety of purposes other than those suggested. The structure is capable of being readily extended vertically or laterally to accommodate the same to the space in which it is to be used and may be quickly assembled for use or knocked down for removal. When assembled in the manner described, it is strong and durable and capable of withstanding the usage to which'it is adapted. The several standards B B at each end of the shelf structure constitute a verticallydivided standard, the parts of which are joined to each other and to the shelf member at the intersection .of the shelf members with the standards.

I claim as my invention- 1. A knockdown expansible shelf structure comprising a plurality of horizontal shelf members, vertically-divided standards at the ends of the shelf members and fittings joining the parts of the standards end to end at the intersections of the standards and the shelf members and provided with grooves which receive the margins of the shelf members.

2. A knockdown expansible shelf structure comprising a plurality of horizontal shelf members, vertically-divided standards at the ends of the shelf members, the parts of which are provided at their proximate ends with tenons and fittings provided with sockets which receive the tenons of proximate ends of the IOU standard parts and provided also with grooves which receive the margins of said shelf members.

3. A knockdown eXpansible shelf structure comprising a plurality of superposed shelf members, those of which are in the same horizontal plane fitting end to end, vertically-divided standards at the ends of the shelf members, the parts of which are provided at their proximate ends with tenons, and fittings pro vided with sockets adapted to receive the tenons of the proximate ends of said standard parts and provided also with grooves which receive the margins of the shelf members".

4. The combination with a shelf or table, of a shelflike support located thereover, and standards for supporting said shelf-like support from the lower shelf or table, said standards being widened at their upperand lower ends and each provided at each end with a pluat each end with a plurality of tenons, of fit-v tings adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like and provided with a plurality of mortises to receive said tenons.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of March, A. D.

ADOLPH DANNENBERG. Witnesses:

BERTHA A. PRICE, CARL H. CRAWFORD. 

